1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play takes place at the beginning of the AIDs epidemic in New York City from 1981 to 1984. It focuses on the life of the co-president of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis non-profit, Ned Weeks. The organization is attempting to find public support and funding for research into the treatment of HIV/AIDs. As the play unfolds, Ned also finds himself in personal situations, attempting to deal with fractured familial relationships (his brother). He also has to face himself and his perception of his standing within the stigma centered gay culture.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is the revelation of Felix showing signs of having AIDs related symptoms. This heightens the drama and pace of the play and causes a more sporadic, tense tone to Ned. This leads to him being kicked out of the organization.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day Ned reveals his experiences through the AIDs epidemic: from the death of his friends to the political struggle of gay men.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
-Will Ned be able to rally the public support for the gay AIDs epidemic? -Does Ned ever find his political footing? -Is Ned able to mend his familial relationships, namely with his brother?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
Exposition that everyone knows is Bruce remaining closeted. He was a soldier and is a professional banker, and he has immense tensions building of identity crisis.Ned and Bruce often argue about this as Ned believe Bruce cannot care about the cause as much if he cannot be gay himself.
The second exposition, character revealed, is seen when Felix reveals that he has been experiencing a spot on his foot, a sign of AIDs. This is an identifying sign that Dr. Brookner uses to confirm cases, and it does not spell well for Felix.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment is the revealing of Bruce’s experience with Albert’s death and the details pertaining to that experience. Albert forgot who he was during the flight the Bruce took him on, and the dementia only ended with death soon after he talked to his mother. He wasn’t close to her, she did not know of his sexuality. This is powerful in itself. It is his own mom, and he could not be close to her. This reveals to us that Bruce had experienced first hand what the AIDs epidemic was capable of even though Ned had been accusing him of being apathetic to the cause.
8. What does Ned want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants?
Most of this play is a me vs society play. The play is about silence and non-recognition from the general public and their apathy to do anything about this ‘gay cancer’ that Ned is trying to help. He makes public statements condemning the Mayor for his ineptitude in the situation because of his fear of ‘career poison’. There is a stigma around everything gay in this play, and that just makes it more difficult for Ned to legitimize his cause. Even in relationships with his brother, where you could make a case for me vs. individual, it is a me vs. society case. These relationship strains only happen because of the way society views the gay public at this time in history. They are shunned and frowned upon, and this is the reason for this play. This is the reason everything unfolds.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The normal heart comes from a poem written in the early days of World War II. The poem’s most famous line is “We either love each other or die”. This is for anti-war sentiments, but the message rings true for all of humanity. The line might have also been about the author’s sexuality, and this is a reason the line could have been chosen. It is the duality of Ned trying to deal with his own identity and love himself while learning to love others and taking up his role in the GMHC.
The Spots The visible spots on the patients in this play are very powerful. It is an image of being ostracized from society, but now they are also ostracized from their own group, the only community that they have. It makes their caste on the outer banks of society visible. Their heart is now on their sleeves, their suffering is now there to be seen by all. They can no longer hide what they are feeling.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Traditional family values are not really a celebrated thing in this play. Most of the gay men do not have relationships with their family. In fact, most of the characters moved away from their family, many of who remain closeted too. Even the family member that Ned does have around, his brother, does not really have a good relationship with his brother. He still sees Ned as mentally handicapped.
Where we see most of the ‘family’ relationships in the play is in the GMHC. These people are really the only family that they have left. The community is there to support each other. They lean on their friends in their time of grief and happiness. They do not have a real family left, but it is substituted by them.
The play takes place at the beginning of the AIDs epidemic in New York City from 1981 to 1984. It focuses on the life of the co-president of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis non-profit, Ned Weeks. The organization is attempting to find public support and funding for research into the treatment of HIV/AIDs. As the play unfolds, Ned also finds himself in personal situations, attempting to deal with fractured familial relationships (his brother). He also has to face himself and his perception of his standing within the stigma centered gay culture.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is the revelation of Felix showing signs of having AIDs related symptoms. This heightens the drama and pace of the play and causes a more sporadic, tense tone to Ned. This leads to him being kicked out of the organization.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day Ned reveals his experiences through the AIDs epidemic: from the death of his friends to the political struggle of gay men.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
-Will Ned be able to rally the public support for the gay AIDs epidemic?
-Does Ned ever find his political footing?
-Is Ned able to mend his familial relationships, namely with his brother?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
Exposition that everyone knows is Bruce remaining closeted. He was a soldier and is a professional banker, and he has immense tensions building of identity crisis.Ned and Bruce often argue about this as Ned believe Bruce cannot care about the cause as much if he cannot be gay himself.
The second exposition, character revealed, is seen when Felix reveals that he has been experiencing a spot on his foot, a sign of AIDs. This is an identifying sign that Dr. Brookner uses to confirm cases, and it does not spell well for Felix.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment is the revealing of Bruce’s experience with Albert’s death and the details pertaining to that experience. Albert forgot who he was during the flight the Bruce took him on, and the dementia only ended with death soon after he talked to his mother. He wasn’t close to her, she did not know of his sexuality. This is powerful in itself. It is his own mom, and he could not be close to her. This reveals to us that Bruce had experienced first hand what the AIDs epidemic was capable of even though Ned had been accusing him of being apathetic to the cause.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
-Gay stigma
-Marginalization
-Family relationships
-Love
8. What does Ned want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants?
Most of this play is a me vs society play. The play is about silence and non-recognition from the general public and their apathy to do anything about this ‘gay cancer’ that Ned is trying to help. He makes public statements condemning the Mayor for his ineptitude in the situation because of his fear of ‘career poison’. There is a stigma around everything gay in this play, and that just makes it more difficult for Ned to legitimize his cause. Even in relationships with his brother, where you could make a case for me vs. individual, it is a me vs. society case. These relationship strains only happen because of the way society views the gay public at this time in history. They are shunned and frowned upon, and this is the reason for this play. This is the reason everything unfolds.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The normal heart comes from a poem written in the early days of World War II. The poem’s most famous line is “We either love each other or die”. This is for anti-war sentiments, but the message rings true for all of humanity. The line might have also been about the author’s sexuality, and this is a reason the line could have been chosen. It is the duality of Ned trying to deal with his own identity and love himself while learning to love others and taking up his role in the GMHC.
The Spots
The visible spots on the patients in this play are very powerful. It is an image of being ostracized from society, but now they are also ostracized from their own group, the only community that they have. It makes their caste on the outer banks of society visible. Their heart is now on their sleeves, their suffering is now there to be seen by all. They can no longer hide what they are feeling.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Traditional family values are not really a celebrated thing in this play. Most of the gay men do not have relationships with their family. In fact, most of the characters moved away from their family, many of who remain closeted too. Even the family member that Ned does have around, his brother, does not really have a good relationship with his brother. He still sees Ned as mentally handicapped.
Where we see most of the ‘family’ relationships in the play is in the GMHC. These people are really the only family that they have left. The community is there to support each other. They lean on their friends in their time of grief and happiness. They do not have a real family left, but it is substituted by them.